Family Matters
by SoundEffectsAndOverdramatics-x
Summary: Claudia comforts Ezio after he arrives back to Monteriggioni and informs her of the death of Cristina Vespucci. One-Shot. Don't own Assassin's Creed. Enjoy!


**Claudia comforts Ezio after finding out about the death of Cristina Vespucci, his love. Don't own Assassin's Creed. Enjoy!**

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><p>Claudia Auditore hummed to herself lightly as she walked outside the front garden of Monteriggioni. She continued to walk down the steps, watching her Uncle Mario's men practicing in the tiny courtyard, smiling at them and waving as she walked past the fountain with the Assassin symbol on it, and past the blacksmith's shop.<p>

"Good evening, _Madonna _Auditore!" The Blacksmith called out.

"Good evening, Rodrigo!" Claudia said, smiling at him. She was about to walk over to the art merchant's store when she heard a cry of exclamation ahead of her.

"_Messer _Auditore! What has happened to you?" She heard someone say.

"Ezio?" Claudia said, surprised. She ran over to the entrance of Monteriggioni, and found her brother, Ezio walking in, his armor and robes covered in blood.

"Ezio!" She ran up him.

"Ezio, where are you hurt! We must get you to a doctor!" Ezio looked at her, his expression one of deep grief. He looked almost lost, looking at Claudia as if she were a stranger.

"It is not my blood, Claudia." Ezio said hoarsely.

"What do you mean?" Claudia asked, frowning. Ezio shook his head, and Claudia noticed he was shaking.

"Ezio..." She whispered.

"Cristina...I...I couldn't save her..." Ezio whispered, tears falling down his cheeks.

"Cristina? Vespucci?" Claudia asked, confused. Ezio nodded slowly, walking forward numbly.

"Oh, Ezio..." Claudia murmured, tears welling in her own eyes.

"We must get _Messer _Auditore to a doctor!" A young girl said, grabbing his arm.

"No, he is fine. It is not his blood. I will take him to my Uncle Mario, thank you Francesca." Claudia said. She grabbed Ezio's arm lightly and steered him over to her Uncle Mario's home, ignoring the stares her and Ezio received as they walked by.

"What happened, Ezio?" Claudia asked as they stepped inside Mario's home and sat on the steps. Ezio looked at her.

"These men came...and killed her husband, Manfredo...they cornered her. By the time I got to her, they'd already hurt her. I was going to take her to a doctor, but...I was too late." He said, pressing the palm of his hands against his eyes.

"Oh, Ezio..."

"She kept the pendant." He whispered.

"What pendant?" Claudia asked, surprised.

"The pendant I gave to her before I left Firenze, after Father, and Federico and Petruccio were killed. She kept it around her neck for all those years..." Ezio cried freely, his whole body shaking as Claudia knelt down, trying to pry his hands away from his face.

"Ezio, there is nothing you could have done." Claudia said.

"I could've married her! I could've stopped this ridiculous crusade of avenging my family and started my own one! For years, I have wasted away, Claudia! Trying to figure out what all this means! Trying to finish my fathers work, and for what? To die an old man, cold and alone with no sons to his name? I could've saved Cristina from this! If she were with me, here in Monteriggioni, she would still be alive!" Ezio roared. Claudia jumped back in surprise.

"Ezio!" She exclaimed.

"What? I regret it! I regret everything! I don't even want to feel anymore! I just want this..." He broke down, falling to his knees. "I want the pain to stop..." He whispered, tears falling from his cheeks. Claudia hugged him.

"Ezio, there is nothing you can do. But, I will tell you this. Cristina will only be gone when your love for her fades. Do not sit her and weep over what could have been..." She said, holding him tighter. Ezio looked at her blearily.

"Why does everyone I love keep leaving me?" He said. Claudia brushed away the tears from his cheeks, her own falling into her lap.

"I don't know, Ezio. But I promise you...I will never leave you. You are my brother. We are Auditore. And we will never stop being there for each other." She said fiercely. Ezio smiled lightly, and kissed her forehead.

"Thank you, Claudia." He said, hugging her.


End file.
